Cigar lighter



May L8, 1943. A. A. JOHNSON CIGAR LIGHTER Filed Oct. 11, 1940 INVENTOR Patented May 18, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CKGAR LIGHTER Arthur A. Johnson, Bridgeport, Conn, assigner to Automatic Devices Corporation,

Bridgeport,

15 Claims.

This invention relates to cigar lighters, and, more particularly, to an electric cigar lighter of the type adapted to be used in vehicles.

The cigar lighter of the present invention is of the so-called automatic type, that is, a cigar lighter in which one contact is heat-responsive and adapted to open the energizing circuit upon the heating element reaching a predetermined useful temperature.

This type of cigar lighter has several advantages over the prior nonautomatic lighters, among others, the temperature of the heating element is exactly right for the intended use when the circuit is automatically opened and overheating or burning out of the heating elcment with its attendant danger is prevented.

The lighter of the present invention is of the type disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 166,786, filed October 1, 1937, now Patent No. 2,248,407, granted July 8, 1941, in that the igniting unit is energized only upon an application to the same of a withdrawing force.

According to the present invention, in order to energize the igniting unit, it is merely necessary to grasp the same and withdraw it from the holding device, and, as the heating element of the present invention is preferably for red of a resistance wire having a low resistance, it quickly reaches incandescence.

To prevent the igniting unit from being removed from the holding device before the heating element has reached its desired heat, means are provided for preventing complete withdrawal of the igniting unit before the heating element has reached its useful temperature. This means preferably is rendered inoperative when the heating element reaches incandescence, the means being heat responsive, so that the igniting unit may then be manually removed for use.

The circuit through the heating element is closed only while the manual pulling force is being exerted on the igniting unit. According to the present invention this is accomplished by normally open switch means carried by the igniting unit for closing the circuit only when the force is applied to the igniting unit.

In order to safeguard the lighter against injury, the switch means is such that it will automatically open the circuit should the igniting unit be released during the withdrawing movement and before the heating element has had an opportunity to come up to the desired heat. If the igniting unit is released, when but partially withdrawn and the heating element has not as yet attained its desired heat, the switch means will break the circuit and in this manner the lighter is effectively safeguarded against having the circuit through the heating element accidentally held closed.

In the preferred form of the invention, a further safeguard is provided against overheating of the heating element, by including in the circuit of the heating element, the heat-responsive means which prevents withdrawal of the igniter unit, so that the circuit is broken by operation of the said heat-responsive means when the heating element becomes incandescent independently of operation of the switch in the igniter unit. Thus, should the latter switch remain closed because of some defect, the said heat-responsive means will break the circuit whenever the heating element attains the desired temperature.

Inasmuch as the switch means are carried by the igniting unit, the holding device need be only of a size to accommodate the igniting unit so that the holding device of the present invention occupies but relative small space. This facilitates the mounting of the holding device to the instrument panel, particularly of the present day vehicles, where the mounting space at the rear of the panel is limited.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a View partly in section of the de vice of the present invention showing the switch means of he igniting unit in the open-circuit position.

Fig. 2 is a section of the device showing the switch means of the igniting unit in the closedcircuit position.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along line 33 of Fig. 2.

The present invention comprises a holder Ii] i or the removable igniting unit l l, which holder is formed as a tubular shell of sheet metal having one end thereof formed with an outwardly projecting flange i2 and provided at the other end with a transverse closing wall la.

The wall it is formed with a centrally located aperture taking a threaded sleeve I 4 having a lining E5 of insulating material. The sleeve is formed with an enlarged head I5 which is in facewise engagement with the interior surface of the wall H3.

The holder 43 is adapted to be mounted in an aperture in the instrument panel H with the flange i2 engaging the front face of the panel.

The holder is held in this position by a U-shaped bracket [8 provided with an aperture so that the bracket may be slipped over the projecting end of the sleeve It with the legs of the bracket in engagement with the rear face of the instrument panel.

The bracket is held in place with the instrument panel by a nut I9 threaded onto the sleeve M. A bolt 29 is mounted in the sleeve i l, but is insulated therefrom by the lining I and a pair of washers 2| and 22. A contact member 23, having latch fingers 2d projecting therefrom; is mounted in the holder and is clamped between the head of the bolt and the insulating washer 2|.

The contact bolt and insulation are locked in position by means of a nut threaded onto the bolt 20. The bolt 20 is connected to a source of energy by means of a connector lug 25, carried by a conductor 27, which is locked to the end of the bolt by means of a second nut 23.

The igniting unit of the present invention comprises a tubular body 29 of insulating material into one end of Which has been threaded a sleeve 39 having an inturned flange Bila. Threaded to the sleeve 30 is a conducting cap 3! to which is insulatedly mounted a metallic cup 32 carrying a coil 33 of low resistance wire, one end of which is connected to the cup 32, the opposite end being secured to a metallic rivet 34 insulatedly secured tothe cap 35. A pair of contacts 35 are insulatedly carried by the cap 31 and held in a place by a retaining head formed on the one end of the rivet 3 3 by heading or peening over the end thereof.

The cup 32 and conducting cap 3! are provided with suitable light passing apertures 36 opening into the tubular body of insulating material as is usual in these devices.

To permit the igniting unit to be manually grasped, a handle 31 of translucent material is mounted for limited sliding movement within the bore of the tubular body 29 of the igniting unit by a dish-shaped conducting member 38 disposed within the sleeve 30 and held to the handle 37 by a bolt 39 threaded into an aperture formed in the inner face of the handle 37. The bolt 39 is formed with a stop collar lil which engages the transverse end closing wall 38a of the conducting member 38 and holds it securely against the inner face of thehandle 31 when the bolt 48 is tightened.

Theconducting member 38 is formed with an outturned flange 4|, the outer edge of which engages the interior wall of the sleeve 36. A coil spring 42, seating on the flange 39a of the sleeve 30, acts tagainst the outturned flange 4i and tends to hold the handle 37 which has sliding fit within the igniting unit in the position shown in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that the handle is movable relative to the igniting unit within the limits defined by the flange 30a and ll and the coil spring 42. The igniting unit is to be stored on the holding device in the open-circuit position, shown in Fig. I, and is held in that position due to the engagement between the latch fingers 24 and the cup 32.

The circuit through the resistance wire is open in this position of the igniting unit and to energize this circuit, a user need only grasp the handle 3'! and move the same relative to the igniting unit in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 2. The manual pulling force is resisted by the spring 42 so that sufficient force must be applied to the handle 37 to overcome the spring 42. The movement of the handle 31 and the elements carried thereby will bring the head 43 of the bolt 39 into engagement with the inturned ends 44 of the contact fingers 35.

The engagement of the head 43 with the contact fingers 35 will close a circuit through the resistance wire as long as the manual pulling force necessary to keep the head 43 in engagement with the contact fingers 35 is exerted on the handle 37.

The circuit in this position of the lighter includes the conductor 2?, lug 26, bolt 20, contact fingers 24, cup 32, resistance 33, rivet 34, contact fingers 35, bolt 39, contact member 38, sleeve 30 and thence to the conducting cap 3| which is in good electrical engagement with the holder H] grounded through the instrument panel ii.

To insure that a good electrical engagement is eifected between the contact member 38 and the sleeve 30, a plurality of fingers 45 are lanced from the wall of the conducting member 38, which fingers are so spaced relative to the conducting member 38 that the same engage the inturned flange 36a of the sleeve 39 when the handle is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2. The engagement between the fingers #35 and the inturned flange 33a insures that a good electrical engagement will be effected between the conducting member 38 and the sleeve 39 when the handle is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The heating coil or resistance element 33 preferably is formed with low resistance wire so that the same attains almost instantly the desired useful temperature. This, as will be understood, necessitates th user exerting the manual pulling force on the handle 37 for a very short interval of time, for example, two or three seconds.

The transverse wall 38a of the conducting member 38 is formed with light passing apertures 37 held in alignment with suitable light passages '18 formed in the handle 31 so that light emanating from the glowing resistance wire 38 may be transmitted through the igniting unit to the tranlucent knob 27 to visually apprise the user that the heatin element has reached incandescence.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the latch fingers 24 are bimetallic, and, as they are in good heat-receiving relation with the heating element or resistance wire 33, they will, upon becoming heated, flex to a position wherein they are no longer in engagement with the cup 32. This disengagement oi the fingers 26 with the cup will allow the spring 52 to move the tubular body'29 of the igniting unit relative to the handle 37 which as will be understood moves the fingers 35 out of engagement with the head 43 of the bolt 38. The separation of the head 43 and finger 35 breaks the circuit through the heating element and as this relative movement is accompanied by an audible click the user will be apprised that the heating element has reached its useful temperature and the user may then remove the entire igniting unit from the holding device for use.

Should the user release the igniting unit during the withdrawal thereof and before the heating element has an opportunity to come up to the desired heat, the spring 52 will immediately return the handle 37 and its associated elements to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby breaking the circuit to the heating element.

This, as will be understood, prevents the circuit from being accidentally held closed should the handle 31 be released after it has been held in its circuit-closing position for a time insufficient to allow the heating element to reach its desired heat. In this manner, the lighter is effectively safeguarded against the circuit being held closed accidentally which would result in damage to the lighter.

The spring also prevents the circuit from being closed accidentally, for th circuit cannot be closed unless a force is applied to the handle 3'5 sufiicient to overcome the action of the spring 42.

Should the spring 42 fail to open the switch While the igniter is inserted in the holding device, flexur of the bimetal contact fingers A l will automatically interrupt the circuit to the heating element 33 whenever the latter attains its normal incandescence for use, thus providing a second safeguard against overheating of the heating element.

The holding device of the present invention, inasmuch as the movable circuit-closing parts are entirely carried by the igniting unit, is not encumbered with any elements which might make its mounting to the instrument panel difiicult.

In many of the present day vehicles, it has been difiicult to mount cigar lighter holding devices to the instrument panels if the holding device carried any adjuncts of the lighter which would increase its overall dimensions, as relatively little mounting space is available at the rear of the panel of many present day vehicles.

The holding device of the present invention has a smaller overall dimension than the usual holding device of the socalled nonautomatic type of lighters, for here the unit has but one position on the holding device rather than the two positions of the prior nonautomatic lighters. This permits the holding device to be made relatively short so that it can be readily mounted to the instrument panel.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. In a cigar lighter, a holding device; an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely withdrawn manually therefrom for use; a heating element carried by the igniting unit; a circuit for energizing said heating element; means for closng said circuit incident only to a pulling force exerted on said igniting unit in the direction necessary to withdraw the same from the holding device, said means including a normally open switch carried by said ieniting unit and actuated by said pulling force; and automatic for holding the igniting unit against complete withdrawal from said holding device until the heating element has reached a predetermined temperature, said means thereupon releasing said igniting unit for complete withdrawal.

2. In a cigar lighter, a holding device; an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely withdrawn manually therefrom for use; a heating element carried by the igniting unit; a circuit for energizing said heating element; switch means carried by said igniting unit and forming a part of said circuit; means for urging said switch to in an open-circuit position, said switch being closed incident only to a pulling force exerted on said igniting unit in the direction necessary to withdraw the same from said holding device; and automatic means for opening the circuit prior to ensuing with drawal of the igniting unit from the holding device when the heating element reaches a predetermined temperature.

3. In a cigar lighter, a holding device; an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely withdrawn manually therefrom for use; a heating element carried by the igniting unit; a circuit for energizing said heating element; switch means carried by said igniting unit and forming a part of said circuit; means for urging said switch to open-circuit position, said switch being closed incident only to a pulling force exerted on said igniting unit in the direction necessary to Withdraw the same from said holding device; and means for opening the circuit when the heating element reaches a predetermined temperature, said means including a heat-responsive latch contact in said circuit and engageable with said heating element for hold-- ing said igniting unit against removal from said holding device only until the heating element reaches said temperature.

4. In a wireless type cigar lighter, a holding device; an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely manually withdrawn and separated therefrom for use; a heating element carried by the igniting unit; means for yieldingly retaining said igniting unit in the hold ing device; a circuit for energizing said heating element; switch means carried by said igniting unit and forming a part of said circuit; and means for urging said switch to an open-circuit position, said switch being closed incident only to a pulling force exerted on said igniting unit in the direction necessary to withdraw and separate the same from said holding device, the force necessary to close the circuit being less than that required to overcome the yieldable retaining means, said urging means being continuously operative to return said switch to the open-circuit position upon cessation of the pulling force before complete manual withdrawal of said igniting unit.

5. In a wireless type cigar lighter, a holding device; an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely manually withdrawn and separated therefrom for use; a heating ele ment carried by the igniting unit; means for yieldingly retaining said igniting unit in the holding device; a circuit for energizing said heating element; switch means carried by said igniting unit and forming a part of said circuit; and means for urging said witch to open-circuit position, said switch being closed incident only to a pulling force exerted on said igniting unit in the direction necessary to withdraw and sepa rate the same from said holding device, the force necessary to close the circuit being less than that required to overcome the yieldable retaining means, said urging means being continuously operative to return the switch means to the opencircuit pos tion upon the release of the withdrawing force and prevent the switch means from remaining closed accidentally should the force Withdrawing the igniting unit be released after the igniting unit only partially withdrawn from said holding device.

6. In a cigar lighter, a holding device; an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely Withdrawn manually therefrom for use; a heating element carried by the ignit ing unit; a circuit for energizing said heating element; means for closing said circuit incident only to a pulling force exerted on said igniting unit in the direction necessary to withdraw the same from the holding device, said means including a normally open switch carried by said igniting unit and closed by the action of said force; and means for maintaining said switch closed only until the heating element reaches a predetermined temperature, said means including a contact means carried by said holding device comprising heat-responsive latch members engaging said igniting unit.

7. In a wireless cigar lighter, a holding device; an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely withdrawn manually therefrom for use; a heating element carried by said igniting unit; a circuit for energizing said heating element; switch means carried by said igniting unit; means for normally urging said switch means to open-circuit position; means for holdingsaid igniting unit on said holding devices; actuating means for said switch means, said actuating means forming a handle for said igniting unit, said switch means being moved to a closed-circuit position incident only to a pulling force exerted on said handle in the direction necessary to withdraw said igniting unit from said holder; and automatic means for releasing said igniting unit holding means for withdrawal of the igniting unit by said force when said heating element reaches a predetermined temperature.

8. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely withdrawn therefrom by hand for use; a heating element carried by the igniting unit; a circuit for energizing said heating unit; means carried by said holder adapted to engage and releasably hold said igniting unit against withdrawal from said holder; a switch carried by said igniting unit including a pair of relatively movable contacts; means for urging said contacts out of engagement; and means for moving said relatively movable contacts against the urging means and into engagement to energize said circuit incident only to a pulling force exerted on said igniting unit in a direction to withdraw the unit from the holder, said force being insufiicient to release the holding means.

9. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely withdrawn therefrom by hand for use; a heating element carried by the igniting unit; a circuit for energizing said heating unit; means carried by said holder adapted to engage and hold said igniting unit against withdrawal from said holder; a switch carried by said igniting unit including a pair of relatively movable contacts; means for urging said contacts out of engagement; and means for moving said relatively movable contacts into engagement to energize said circuit incident only to a pulling force exerted on said igniting unit in the direction necessary to overcome the action of said contact urging means, said first-named means being heat-responsive and adapted to become inoperative to hold said igniting unit against complete withdrawal from said holder only when the heating element has reached a predetermined temperature.

10. In a cigar lighter, a holding device; an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely withdrawn manually therefrom for use; a heating element insulatedly carried by the igniting unit; a contact on said holding device normally forming an eletctrical connection with said heating element; a circuit for energizing said heating element, including said contact; a handle for said igniting unit slidably mounted thereon; a second contact carried by said handle; a third contact insulatedly carried by said igniting unit and electrically connected to said heating unit, said second and third contacts being also included in the energizing circuit; resilient means normally urging said handle to a position on said igniting unit wherein said second and third contacts are spaced apart, these contacts being brought into engagement to close said circuit only in response to a pulling force in the direction of withdrawal, necessary to overcome said resilient means, exerted onsaid handle; and means for releasably retaining said heating element in engagement with said first contact and against the application of the said pulling force to close the circuit upon application of force, said means being releasable upon the application of a pulling force in excess of that necessary to close the circuit.

11. In a cigar lighter, a holding device; an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely withdrawn manually therefrom for use; a heating element insulatedly carried by the igniting unit; a circuit for energizing said heating element; a handle for said igniting unit slidably mounted thereon; a contact carried by said handle; a contact insulatedly carried by said igniting unit and electrically connected to said heating unit; latch means carried by said holding device and forming a part of said circuit, said latch means engaging said heating element and holding the igniting unit against withdrawal from said holding device; resilient means normally urging said handle to a position relative to said igniting unit wherein said contacts are spaced apart, the contacts being brought into engagement to close said circuit incident only to a pulling force exerted on said handle in the direction necessary to overcome said resilient means, said latch means being heat responsive and releasing said igniting unit only when the heating element attains a predetermined temperature so that the igniting unit may be completely withdrawn from said holding device.

12. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely withdrawn manually therefrom for use; a heating element carried by said igniting unit; contact means mounted in the base of the holder and provided with heat-responsive latches engaging the igniting unit; a pair of relatively movable contacts carried by said igniting unit; means for urging said contacts apart; and means for moving said contacts into engagement and closing an energizing circuit for the heating element incident only to a puiiing force exerted on said igniting unit in the direction necessary to withdraw the same from said holder, said energizing circuit being opened automatically and the igniting unit being released for complete withdrawal upon operation of said heatresponsive latches when the heating element has reached a predetermined temperature.

13. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely withdrawn manually therefrom for use; a heating element insulatedly carried by said igniting unit; contact means mounted in the base of the holder and provided with heatresponsive latches engaging the igniting unit; a handle for said igniting unit, said handle having a limited sliding movement relative to said ignit ing unit; a contact electrically connected to said heating element; a contact mounted on said igniting unit and movable by and with said handle; means for urging said handle to one of its alternate positions on said igniting unit Wherein the last-named contacts are spaced apart, said handle forming means for moving said contacts into engagement and closing an energizing circuit for the heating element incident only to a pulling force exerted on said handle in the direction necessary to move the same to the other of its alternate positions on the igniting unit, said energizing circuit being opened automatically and the igniting unit being released for complete withdrawal upon operation of said heat-receiving latches when the heating element has reached a predetermined temperature.

14. In a cigar lighter, an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely Withdrawn manually therefrom for use; a heating element carried by said igniting unit; contact means mounted in the base of the holder and provided with heat-responsive latches engaging the igniting unit; a handle for said igniting unit, said handle having a limited. sliding unit relative to said igniting unit; a contact carried interiorly of said igniting unit and insulated therefrom; a contact carried by said handle and movable by and with said handle relative to said igniting unit; means for urging said handle to one of its alternate positions on said igniting unit, the contact carried by said handle in this position oi. the handle being spaced apart from said igniting unit contact, the contacts moving into engagement and closing an energizing circuit for the heating element only upon the exertion of a pulling force on said handle in the direction necessary to move the handle to the other of its alternate positions on said igniting unit, said energizing circuit being opened automatically and the igniting unit being released for complete withdrawal upon operation of said heat-responsive latches when the heating element has reached a predetermined temperature. 15. In a cigar lighter, a holding device; an igniting unit mounted thereon and adapted to be completely withdrawn manually therefrom for use; a heating element carried by the igniting unit; a circuit for energizing said heating element; means for closing said circuit incident only to a pulling force exerted on said igniting unit in the direction for withdrawing the same from the holding device, said means including a switch, and means for normally urging said switch to open-circuit position, said switch being closed by action of said force; and a heatresponsive latch contact carried by said holding device and included in said circuit, engaging said igniting unit for establishing said circuit and for retaining said unit in the holding device during application of said force, releasing said unit for withdrawal from the holding device upon said heating element attaining the desired incandescence, and simultaneously interrupting the circuit to said heating element.

ARTHUR A. JOHNSON. 

